Cr Brown explained a strategy that could increase the cost of parking in the main street to $5 an hour, and surrounding areas to $2 or $3 an hour.
The council planning and environment committee yesterday adopted the strategy for public consultation without change, despite questions being raised about some of its content.
Retailers are worried a rise in parking costs would keep shoppers away from the city.
Cr Neil Collins said some people were ‘‘quite alarmed'' after publicity in the Otago Daily Times about the strategy.
Cr Collins said the strategy had noted there was no shortage of parks in the city.
‘‘The question comes to mind: if there is no problem, what on earth are we doing?''
The strategy contained punitive measures, which were ‘‘like using the old sledgehammer to crack a melon''.
Cr Brown said the report was going out for public consultation.
‘‘If we did not have a parking regime, it would be chaos in the city,'' he said.
Apart from crashes on George St, entering and exiting parks affected traffic flow and slowed buses.
He said the $5 an hour charge was not the highest in New Zealand, as Auckland charged $5.50 in its main street, but it was ‘‘up there''.
He said the committee should not alter the strategy too drastically at this stage.
Cr Dave Cull questioned why people should be able to park for four hours in the main street under the new strategy, when it would be an advantage to businesses to have high parking turnover.
Transportation planning manager Don Hill said logic suggested drivers would not be keen on paying $20 for the privilege.
Mr Hill told Cr Collins parking tickets would not increase, but drivers could get more than one ticket for a parking offence, and the price increased for each ticket.
The consultation period will run from April 19 to May 23.
